Affordable Care Act Overhauls Health Care InsuranceSo far President Barrack Obama’s administration has been marked by the contentious debate over what has become the key issue of his stay in office – health care reform. Democrats and Republicans were fiercely split on the provisions of the proposed legislation. The election of
Massachusetts Republican Representative Scott Brown to the House, and the threat of a filibuster by Nebraska Democrat Senator Ben Nelson (who was siding with the Republicans) threatened to derail Obama’s healthcare overhaul. However, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was finally passed and signed by President Obama on March 23rd 2010. It was quickly followed by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 signed seven days later.
The goal of these acts is to provide American citizens with more comprehensive and affordable health care and
health insurance. Provisions are set to go into effect at different intervals over the next several years – some went into effect immediately, others on September 23rd 2010, then states have yearly deadlines to comply with certain mandates through 2018.
Affordable Care Act Provisions Effective on September 23rd, 2010On September 23rd, 2010 a set of provisions will go into effect to make health care insurance more consumer friendly.
• From now on dependents will be able to stay under their parents’ insurance until their 26th birthday, no matter if they no longer live at home or even if they are married.
• Health insurance companies will not be able to deny coverage to children with preexisting conditions.
• Insurance Companies will no longer be allowed to cancel coverage for adults who become ill.
• Appeals regulations have been issued granting health care consumers the ability to appeal decisions to deny coverage made by their health insurance company no matter what state they live in or where their insurance is based.
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Medicare qualifications will be expanded, thus giving more people access to health insurance coverage.
The goal of these provisions is to end insurance company negligence, to create a competitive insurance market centered around the consumer, and to put patients in control of their healthcare. President Obama hopes that the health care reform legislations will amount to all Americans having access to health care insurance, and receiving proper, steady and affordable medical care.